The fire at Tiki Tom's restaurant, located at 300 29th Avenue, was reported Thursday night around 11:15.
There were environmental concerns in the Oakland Estuary because a side of the restaurant faces the water next to the Park Street Bridge. The fire department and Coast Guard crews got boom out into the water as soon as they could to try to contain debris and runoff from firefighting. So far they are saying that there are no environmental concerns.
When firefighters got there, it was already engulfed in flames. The roof collapsed and it took three hours to control.
A boat docked behind the restaurant also caught fire. Some believed that it was the owner's boat. The 20 foot cabin cruiser broke loose, floated a bit down the estuary and then sank.
Since the restaurant was closed and secured when firefighters got there, they didn't have quick access into the building. To stay safe, crews had to tackle it from outside.
"We were not going to go inside this fire and fight it from the inside. It was a defensive fire from the onset," said Oakland Fire Batt. Chief Emon Usher.
"Is the building destroyed completely?" asked ABC7's Teresa Garcia.
"Total loss," said Usher.
Tiki Tom's had taken over a former restaurant at the same waterfront location a few years ago. No one has been able to get a hold of the owner Tom Davies.
A Tiki Tom's limo for sale outside the restaurant didn't burn, but debris did fall all around it. Some neighbors believe the owner may have been having financial struggles with the business.
The fire didn't damage any other buildings and no one was hurt. At this point, building inspectors are out here determining whether the structure.
